From Nikkei:
Mizuho Financial to Sell Shares
To Shore Up Its Capital

TOKYO -- Mizuho Financial Group Inc. plans as soon as this month to sell roughly 5% of its outstanding shares owned by a subsidiary to boost its capital, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun learned Tuesday.

By improving its capital base, the banking group plans to fully repay the public aid it has received by next July and increase lending, particularly to smaller businesses, an area in which competition has been heating up.